Russia’s Irkut and Air Tanzania to study possibility to supply MS-21 aircraft to Tanzania

The Irkut corporation and Air Tanzania will study the possibility of supply short and medium-range aircraft MS-21 to Tanzania, according to a memorandum of understanding signed by the companies on Thursday.

After the talks executive director of the Tanzanian company Johnson Mfinanga said that in terms of technical and operational characteristics the Russian airliner meets the requirements of the program for the development of the national carrier.

Earlier Irkut held talks on sales of the medium-range MS-21 airliner to Egypt and South Africa. Preliminary, the company discussed the sale of 30 MS-21 airliners with a n option for sales of 10 more aircraft to South Africa’s Pamodzi Investment Holdings.

Also Irkut and Egypt’s KATO Investment signed an agreement on supply of Russian passenger MS-21 airliners. Cairo Aviation, a subsidiary of KATO Investment, planned to acquire six MS-21 aicraft with an option for four more aircraft.

Earlier Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation does not rule out a possibility to set up a leasing company to sell its aircraft in Africa.

Currently, Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry is discussing the delivery of up to 40 SSJ-100 aircraft to EgyptAir.

Air Tanzania is the national carrier of Tanzania. The company was founded in 1977. It is 51% owned by the state. The company’s fleet includes only two Bombardier aircraft.